UPDATED at 4:00 p.m.: Michigan State University has agreed to three years of federal oversight. The U-S Department of Health and Human Services announced a resolution to a civil rights investigation on Monday.
In January of 2018, former Michigan State sports doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced to at least 4 decades in prison for sexually assaulting his patients.
Now, MSU has agreed to follow a chaperone policy for sensitive medical exams.
Among other changes, the school will also appoint a person to investigate all sexual misconduct complaints filed by patients, staff or other people related to the MS-U Health Team.
Roger Severino is the Director of the Office for Civil Rights in the health department.
“This is an important change and we’re pleased by this outcome to hopefully bring some institutional change to make sure it doesn’t happen again," said Severino.
As part of the agreement, MSU will have to submit written reports when asked by federal officials and follow record keeping requirements.
UPDATED at 11:30 a.m.: Michigan State University has agreed to improve its processes for investigating sexual misconduct complaints, institute a new chaperone policy for sensitive medical exams and take other steps to resolve a federal civil rights investigation related to Larry Nassar's abuse.
The agreement was announced Monday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights. It covers the university where Nassar worked, the MSU HealthTeam and MSU Health Care Inc.
MSU and the associated entities will revise their non-discrimination policies and, when conducting sensitive exams, require that a chaperone be present and provide patients with an appropriate gown and privacy.
Nassar, an ex-campus sports doctor, is effectively serving life in prison for molesting young athletes under the guise of treatment — sometimes when parents were present.
